Actors such as Jack Nickolson, Warren Betty and Robert Duvall knew first-hand the ability and strength of Marlon on stage.
One of the most controversial - and perhaps misunderstood - actors in Hollywood was Marlon Brando, who lived an enviable artistic career that allowed him to win two Oscars, and earn the admiration of colleagues such as Jack Nickolson, Robert Duvall and Warren Betty, for mention a few. They saw in Brando an interpretive understanding beyond the unthinkable, during what was his golden era.
His work on the big screen got him nominated eight times for the Academy Awards: for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Viva Zapata (1952), then Julio César (1053), but glory would come with On The Waterfront ( 1954), where he stepped into the shoes of Terry Malloy.
His other nominations were for Sayonara (1957), Last Tango in Paris (1973) and A Dry White Season (1989). His second Oscar was obtained for the legendary performance of Don Vito Corleone in the classic The Godfather (1972) by Francis Ford Coppola based on the book by Mario Puzzo.
“Brando is the best American actor. His greatness lies in the fact that he acts with empathy and understanding, which not even the best technical performers could match,” the late film legend Laurence Olivier said at the time.
His co-star in the film Missouri Breaks, Jack Nickolson, always referred to Brando as a monumental artist, as if he were a 'Picasso' of acting. “Many actors tried to copy Marlon. There was no way to follow in his footsteps. He was too big and far from sight. “He moved the world, and his influence will remain with those of us who knew him in life,” he said for The Times.
Actor Robert Duvall revered Brando's talent and ability to make his mark. “He had an innate cunning, finding ways to do everything better than others. He never developed the tremendous potential of him. He didn't believe acting was a great way to make a living. Maybe he had so much adulation from a young age that he just got bored with it,” he noted.
Filmmaker Warren Betty also classified Marlon as an “exceptionally influential” artist. “You may not know it, but he was a citizen with broad social perspectives. Generous with his friends and with a sincere, very personal vision. As a neighbor he was a festive being. Even Annette (Bening, Warren's wife) and I miss him very much.”
These were impressions left by Brando's unexpected departure, on July 1, 2004 at 6:30 pm. A spokesman for the actor announced that he had been admitted to the UCLA Medical Center for having trouble breathing. He died of lung failure at the age of 80.
He was once asked if he feared death, to which he responded by quoting Mark Antony: “Of all the wonders I have heard so far, it seems very strange to me that men should be afraid, since death, a necessary end, will come.” When it comes".
